Michael Broomhead

A young chef found dead in a Derbyshire road was most likely lying down when he was hit by a car, an inquest has heard.

Police forensic collision investigator PC Iain McGregor told the inquest into the death of Halcyon Theuri that the 21-year-old had 'unique' injuries and so must have been in a 'unique position' on the road.

In the second day of the inquest, PC McGregor also said that damage to a taxi, which he examined 44 days after Mr Theuri's death, was consistent with fatal injuries caused to a pedestrian.

He said, looking at the damage to the car and the injuries sustained to Alfreton man Mr Theuri, it was likely that the he was lying down but pushing himself up with one arm.

PC McGregor said: "He would have only had five seconds from seeing the car to impact."

He noted that, unlike most victims of a collision, Mr Theuri's shoes had remained on his feet and had no scuff marks which meant he had not moved during the collision.

PC McGregor added: "Because his injury was so unique, Halcyon would have had to have been in a unique position in the road.

"His injury was untypical of that of somebody who had been involved in a road traffic collision."

The investigator said he had been called out to the scene at 5.50am on August 31 last year after Mr Theuri had been found in Wingfield Road in Alfreton.

The hearing was told it was more than a month later that it came to light a Skoda Octavia estate taxi could potentially have been involved.

"The Skoda was brought to my attention 44 days after the collision," PC McGregor said.

"Due to forensic investigations that were to be undertaken, we only had a limited time to examine the vehicle.

"The vehicle was in a sterile crime garage and we were not allowed to touch it so it was a visual examination.

"Myself and a colleague were looking at a particular part of the car and saw damage that stood out to us straight away.

"The damage was what we were looking for and it was so subtle that others may have missed it.

"Knowing Halcyon's injuries were from his chin to his forehead, we were only looking for damage the size of a handspan and something unique in its position on the car."

Coronor Louise Pinder asked PC McGregor: "So the damage you found on the car, you're saying, is consistent with the injuries Halcyon sustained."

PC McGregor replied: "Yes."

PC McGregor said that, once the taxi had been released from forensic examination, he had tested the headlights and they were working.

He added that CCTV footage showed the Skoda travelling at an average speed of 26 miles per hour, with its side and rear windows steamed up.

Pathologist Dr Stuart Hamilton said that, although the effects of alcohol are variable, it would be fair to say that Mr Theuri would have been unsteady on his feet.

After Mr Theuri's death, police arrested a 51-year-old man on suspicion of causing death by careless driving and a 60-year-old man on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving but no prosecutions were made.

The inquest continues at Derby coroners' court.

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